Telecommunications subscribers that have special numbers (access codes) such as 500, 700, 800, 888, and 900 numbers, for example, may receive special features that are not normally offered to subscribers of Plain Old Telephony Service (POTS) that do not have such access codes. For example, subscribers of 800 or 888 numbers enable the parties dialing those numbers to enjoy such special features as toll-free calling and alternate routing, including time of day and geographic routing. Special features such as alternate routing are available to subscribers that may have other special access codes as well. Typically, telecommunication service providers, such as AT&T, offer such special features associated with a special access code by recognizing whether the access code is present in the dialed number received at an ingress switch. If the dialed number contains such an access code, then the switch suspends call processing and launches an inquiry to a data base, such as the 2NCP data base within AT&T's network, to determine the special features accorded the call.
A telephone subscriber who does not possess a special access code may want the features associated with such a code. For example, a POTS subscriber may want to obtain some or all of the features associated with a particular access code, yet not change his or her present POTS number. For example, a POTS subscriber may desire alternate routing without incurring the toll charges for incoming calls as is normally the case with 800 and 888 (hereinafter, 8YY) calls. Unfortunately, present-day telecommunication service providers do not offer many special features normally associated with special access codes to POTS subscribers.
Thus, there is a need for a technique for allowing a telecommunications service subscribers to enjoy one or more special features normally associated with a special access code without the need for subscribers to change their existing POTS number.